Containment systems employing various composite structures have been developed to handle waste materials. The waste materials to which this invention is concerned are primarily hazardous, radioactive, and mixed, that is both hazardous and radioactive, wastes. These containment systems must meet rigid governmental safety standards set for structural stability and strength, along with those for its shielding characteristics.
Conventionally, these containment systems have been made with composite materials having concrete layers, optionally reinforced with metal bars such as a rebar construction to improve the strength of the container. Examples of such systems are generally shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,950,246 and 4,845,372. These systems have been widely used and accepted by the industry, however improvements upon these designs can be made to improve their strength and shielding capacity.